Miniature self-propelled airplane



July 30, 1946. w. R. PADGETT MINIATURE SELF-PROPELLED AIRPLANE Filed Feb. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 30, 1946. w. R. PADGETT MINIATURE SELF-PROPELLED AIRPLANE 'Filed Feb. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QN g o W Patented July 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINIATURE SELF-PROPELLED AIRPLANE William R. Padgett, Pasadena, Tex. Application February 20, 1945, Serial No. 528,927

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to miniature self-propelled airplanes.

An object of the invention is to provide an airplane of the control line type whose rudder will normally be maintained, by a control line, in position to keep the craft in its outer path, or course, in flight, while the control line is taut; with means for automatically moving the rudder outwardly, should the control line become slack, as in the event the craft should be forced inwardly off its normal path by a side wind, so that the craft will be guided, by the rudder, outwardly into its former, or normal, course.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the elevators in position to keep the craft at a selected elevation, in flight, with an elevator control line and means connecting said line to the elevators whereby the position of the elevators and the elevation of the craft may be controlled and varied.

A further object of the invention is to provide mean for controlling an aileron of one of the wings, through one or both of the control lines, whereby the craft may be laterally stabilized.

The invention also embodies a novel type of grip, or handle, whereby the control lines may be manipulated.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features .of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the aircraft, embodying the invention and partly broken away.

Figure 2 shows an outer end viewof one of the wings, or planes, showing the aileron control.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the grip, or handle.

Figure 4 shows a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional View.

Figure 5 shows a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view.

Figure 6 shows a fragmentary, bottom view, partly in section, and

Figure '7 shows a fragmentary, plan view of one of the wings, or planes, partly in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral I designates the fuselage as a whole at the forward end of which is the motor driven propeller 2.

Fixed to the fuselage are the laterally extended wings, or planes, 3, provided with ailerons one of which is hinged to move on the hinges 4.

The rear end of the fuselage has the vertical 2 rudder 5 pivoted to move on a vertical axis and also has the elevators 5, pivoted to move on a horizontal axis.

Within the fuselage there is a horizontal plate l, forming a supporting frame. Above the frame there is a bell crank formed with the cross-head 8 and the lever-arm 9 and beneath the frame there is a bell crank formed with the cross-head Ill and the lever-arm ll. These bell cranks are mounted to rotate ona common pivot l2 and are held spaced from the frame I by the upper and lower washers l3 and I4.

Connected to the elevators there is a depending horn and a rigid link I5 is pivoted, at its forward end, to one end of the cross-head 8 and, at its other end, to the lower end of said horn.

One end of a pull spring fl is connected to the other end of the cross-head and its otherend is connected to the post l8 upstanding from the frame.

There are spaced stops l9 and 20 on the frame I the former of which extends above and beneath the frame. The range of movement of the arm 9 is limited by these stops. I

The rudder 5 has a laterally extended horn 2| and a rigid link 22 is pivoted, atone endjto this horn and, at itsother end to one end of the cross-head 10. connected to the other end of the horn Ill and the other end of said spring 23 is connected to the post .24 which depends from the frame 1.

There is a stop 25 which depends from the frame "I and the range of movement of the mm H is limited by the stops I9, 25 between which it works.

There are the flexible control lines 26, 21 which are connected, at one end, to the free ends of the respective arms 9 and H. At their other ends the line 26 is connected to the upper end of the hand grip 28 and the line 27 is connected to the middle of said grip, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

In flight the craft will follow a, substantially circular course about the operator on the ground by whom the grip 28 is held. The centrifugal force of the craft will hold the line 21 taut with the spring 23 under tension and with the rudder in intermediate, or neutral, position, Should the craft encounter a side current which forces it inwardly, with respect to the circle of flight, the control line 21 will, at once, become slack and the spring 23 will act, through the cross-head l3 and link 22 to move the rudder outwardly, with respect to said circle, thus causing the craft to resume its original course.

One end of a pull spring 23 'is;

While the craft is in flight the pull on the line 26 will normally balance the pull of the spring I1 and maintain the elevators 6 in horizontal position so as to keep the craft in a level course. Should the craft tend to descend the pull on the line 26 may be increased, by suitable manipulation of the grip 28, and this will actuate the head 8 and link Hi to raise the elevators and guide the craft upwardly; on the other hand should the craft climb the line 26 may be released and thereupon the spring II will actuate the head 8 and link [6 and the elevators will be lowered which will cause the craft to descend. The elevation of the craft may, therefore, be controlled by manipulating the line 26.

In order to maintain the craft stabilized lat erally the aileron 29 is hinged and a forwardly extended, rigid arm 30 is rigidly secured to the forward edge thereof and extends above the corresponding Wing 3. The free end of this arm has the upper and lower eyes 3| and 32 through which the respective lines 25 and 21 pass as shown in Figure 1. The arm 38 works through a vertical guid 33, upstanding from the corresponding wing, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Should the 1 craft bank toward the operator the lines 26, 2! will remain taut and will cause a corresponding relative upward movement of the arm 35 and downward movement of the aileron 29 which will tend to stabilize the craft; on the other hand should the craft bank in the opposite direction the aileron 29 will be elevated by the arm 39 and the craft stabilized.

On the wing opposite the aileron 29 there is also an aileron 34. This aileron is attached to the wing by means of metal plates 35, one end of each plate being inserted into the wing and the other ends thereof into the aileron 34. These plates are of bendable material but when bent they will remain bent so that the aileron 34 ma be adjusted up or down to obtain the best results and will remain in that position until re-adjusted.

Thus the forward direction, the elevation andv the lateral stability of the craft is at all times under the control of the operator.

What I claim is:

1. In a miniature, self propelled, airplane having a fuselage, laterally extended wings on the fuselage one of which is provided with an aileron which is hinged thereto, a control line attached at one end to the airplane and whose other end is adapted to be held by an operator on the ground and an arm rigidly connected to the aileron operatively connecting the aileron with the control line whereb the aileron will be moved downwardly as the Wing is lowered and moved upwardly as the wing is elevated.

2. In a miniature, self propelled, aircraft having a fuselage, laterally extended wings on the fuselage, an aileron hinged on one of the wings, a rigid arm fixed to th aileron and whose free end is turned horizontally and formed with an eye and a control line connected, at one end, to the craft and passing through said eye and whose other end is adapted to be held by an operator on the ground.

3. In a miniature, self propelled, aircraft having a fuselage, laterally extended wings, or planes and a rudder pivoted to move on a vertical axis; a cross-head pivotally mounted on the fuselage to move on a vertical axis, a link connected to e the cross-head and to the rudder, a yieldable member connected to the cross-head and effective to normally hold the rudder in one position and a control line connected to the cross-head through which the rudder may be held in another position when the craft is in flight.

4. In a miniature, self propelled, aircraft having a fuselage, lateral wings, or planes, thereon, a rudder mounted to pivot on a vertical axis and an elevator mounted to pivot on a horizontal axis; cross-heads pivoted on the fuselage, rigid links connecting one cross-head with the rudder and the other cross-head with the elevator, control lines connected to the cross-heads through which the rudder and elevator may be moved to selected positions, yieldable members connected to the cross-heads effective to move the rudder and elevator to other positions, when the control lines are slack.

5. In a miniature, self propelled, aircraft having a fuselage, lateral wings, or planes, thereon, a rudder mounted to pivot on a vertical axis and an elevator mounted to pivot on a horizontal axis; cross-heads pivoted On the fuselage, links connecting one cross-head with the rudder and the other cross-head with the elevator, control lines connected to the cross-heads through which the rudder and elevator may be moved to selected positions, yieldable members connected to the cross-heads effective to move the rudder and elevator to other positions, when the control lines are slack and stops on the fuselage for limiting the range of movement of the cross-heads and thereby limiting the movement of the rudder and elevator.

6. In a miniature, self propelled, aircraft having a fuselage, lateral wings thereon, a rudder mounted to pivot on a vertical axis and an elevator mounted to pivot on a horizontal axis: cross-heads mounted to move on a common pivot on the fuselage and havin extended arms, links connecting one cross-head with the rudder and the other cross-head with the elevator, control lines connected to the arms through which the rudder and elevator may be moved to selected positions, yieldable members connected to the cross-heads effective to move the rudder and the elevator to other positions when the control lines are slack and means for limiting the range of movement of the cross-heads and thereby limiting the movement of the rudder and elevator.

WILLIAM R. PADGETT. 

